Fifth Annual Meeting, March 21 - Celebrate Our First Five Years!

Don't miss the party!
The NRTB will be celebrating five years of growth and accomplishments with a big bash at the Bridgewater Vets Club
on Friday, March 21, 2003 at 7pm.

Each year, we get together for an annual meeting of the membership, to review the year's accomplishments and to elect Directors for the upcoming year. This year, realizing that we've come a long way in our first five years as a land trust, most of the evening will be devoted to a celebration of our nearly 250 members, our success at raising grant funding and donations for conservation land management plans, and the sense of fun and community that comes from making our town a more livable place.

The evening will feature food, a cash bar, contests and prizes, and live music by The Male Bonding Band, a local entertainment troupe.

For tickets and sponsorship information, call Cindy Allen at 508/697-7317. Tickets are $20 per person (NRTB Members) and $25 per person (non-members).

Parkland Stewardship Council Established
GREAT NEWS! The Town of Bridgewater, under the management of the Conservation Commission, has established a Parkland Stewardship Council to better organize and manage our town-owned open space parklands conservation sites. Lead Stewards have been named for each of the existing six parklands: Titicut, Iron Works, Tuckerwood, Wyman Meadow, Stiles & Hart and Carver's Pond. This new structure will provide the hundreds of volunteers who have shown interest in these parklands with a lead contact person for coordinating parkland projects and activities.

The lead Stewards are hard at work organizing meetings and plans for spring activities at the sites (see page 4). To learn more about the Council's work or about how you can help at one of the parkland sites, please contact Cindy Allen at 508/697-7317.

Another Great Trolley Ride!
Holiday Tradition Continues and Grows

The NRTB conducted another successful Holiday Trolley Ride on December 8, in conjunction with the Bridgewater Business Association's 'Christmas on the Common' celebration. Over
150 people enjoyed the tours to view holiday lights around town, plus the hot chocolate and other goodies on the Common. The event raised $450 for the NRTB's Land Preservation Fund.

Old State Farm Preservation Project
Legislation has been filed by Rep. David Flynn to implement 'Article 97' conservation protection on over 400 acres of open space on property around the Bridgewater Correctional Complex. The state Department of Corrections, in conjunction with other state agencies and the NRTB, has designated a substantial portion of their property for permanent open space status. The bill is before the legislature for action this spring.

Taunton River Maps Available
Produced by the Taunton Heritage River Program

The NRTB has a limited number of copies of the new "Taunton Heritage River" maps available. These handy maps fold easily into your shirt pocket for easy reference while canoeing, and display the new Taunton Heritage River logo. The logo combines images of the herring that are such an important part of the river's ecosystem with designs reminiscent of the silversmith's art.

The map describes over thirty historic and natural resource sites along the river, including five of the six Bridgewater Conservation Parkland sites.

The NRTB is making these maps available to donors to the NRTB Land Preservation Fund, the special account held for the purpose of land management and land acquisition. To get your copy in time for the spring canoeing season, call 508/697-7317 or send your donation with the slip on page 3, noting that you'd like a map.

Town Parkland Management Plans Accepted by Town Meeting
Voters at the November Town Meeting voted overwhelmingly to accept, as a gift from the NRTB, professionally-prepared management plans for four of the six town-owned conservation parkland sites (Titicut, Tuckerwood, Wyman Meadow and Stiles & Hart). The NRTB has raised over $25,000 to hire professional land management consultants, and sponsored the process to develop the plans with public input.

The management plans were placed on the Town Meeting warrant via a citizens' petition. The petition and the Town Meeting vote were designed to formally and publicly affirm the gift to the town and to secure public support for the active management of these open spaces in accordance with the gifted park designs and management plans as accepted and approved by the Conservation Commission.

The Con Com has created the all-volunteer Parklands Stewardship Council as the vehicle for implementing the plans through the six individual site stewardship groups (see pages 1 and 4). As part of the overall gift to the town, the NRTB will be facilitating four training sessions for the stewardship groups this year, funded by grants.

Work is currently underway to raise funds and prepare management plans for the remaining two sites. On Thursday, February 27 at 7:15pm, a public forum with consultant Bill Giezentanner will be held in the public library to discuss the Draft Management Plan for the Iron Works. A copy of the draft is available at the library reference desk. The community is urged to attend this public meeting to review and comment on this draft plan.

The NRTB is also seeking funds and a consultant to prepare a management plan for the Carver's Pond site later this spring. A major issue at Carver's Pond is the rate and causes of eutrophication (the natural process by which ponds fill in and ultimately become dry land) and the longevity of the pond as we plan this park around it. The NRTB's fall fund-raising appeal to members brought in $5,000 toward this project. An additional $5,000 will be needed to complete it.

Park Stewardship Happenings
At Titicut, lead Steward Cindy Allen says that a plan is being prepared to expand the parking area. The plan will be subject to review by the Conservation Commission. The group also plans to hold a Marshmallow Roast on the evening of Friday, June 13.

Norm and and Diana Snow, lead Stewards of Stiles & Hart, report that the next meeting of the stewardship group is March 3 at 7pm at the Library. All are welcome.

The snows at Wyman Meadow have made for great cross-country skiing, says lead Steward Louisa Plouffe, but spring is around the corner! The Wyman Meadow stewardship group met on February 12 to discuss plans for spring clean-up and fun activities at the site. Plans include a family picnic day and an early spring nature walk.

With the sustained cold spell this winter, the ice-skating and ice-fishing has been great at Carver's Pond, say lead Stewards Kristen Pickett and Maura Chappelle. The stewards and the NRTB organized an evening skating party on Valentine's Day. Some 25 people enjoyed the brisk winter evening with hot chocolate, marshmallows and a roaring bonfire. If the ice is at least 4" thick, ice-skating is a great way to see the pond. The hiking trails are also still in use.

Lead Steward Maureen Minasian has big plans for Tuckerwood this spring, including trail improvements and wood duck boxes.

And at the Iron Works, lead Steward Shawn Burke reports that the NRTB will host a public forum on Thursday, 27th February at 7:15 PM in the public library to discuss the Draft Management Plan now in preparation. A copy of the draft is available at the library reference desk. For more information please contact the NRTB at 508 / 697-7317.

Reminder:
Registration is required for use of the parkland sites after dusk and before dawn. Stop in at the Conservation Commission office in the Memorial Building for a permit.